Symptoms of muscle strain during sports

Injuries due to sports exercises – a fairly common occurrence. And this is faced by both novice athletes and experienced professionals. No one is immune from such unpleasant situations.

One of the most common injuries is sprains, after which the athlete is forced to stop training for a while.

How to distinguish the symptoms of muscle strain from signs of other injuries, how dangerous it is and what to do for treatment and prevention will tell estet-portal.com.

What is muscle strain

This phenomenon occurs during excessive loads, when there is too much tension in the muscle fibers. It occurs not only if you experience an unusually strong load in the gym or at home, but also if you do not warm up before training.

Therefore, the prevention of such a phenomenon is as follows:

•    Always warm up before your workout – stretch your joints, "pull" muscles;

•    It would be useful to walk at a fast pace on a treadmill, jump rope or on the spot;

•    soberly assess your capabilities – and do not try to set personal records on the move.

Also, do the exercises smoothly – without sudden movements, because they can also cause injury.

Read also: The best muscle stretching exercises

1.    Pain does not appear immediately, in contrast to the case of rupture of muscle fibers or muscles completely. It grows slowly, gradually. At its peak, the pain of a sprain can be unbearable.

2.    In most cases, the place of pain is clearly localized.

3.    There may be bruising, swelling, and occasionally cramps. But if you feel the ball under the skin – most likely, this is a rupture of the muscle or muscle fibers. A doctor is required here.

4.    Movement is constrained, and in the worst case, almost impossible.

5.    When pressure is applied to the sprain, the pain intensifies.

Read also: How does the body suffer from muscle blocks – psychological clamps

What to do if you have symptoms of muscle strain

In the sport of stretching – Not unusual. Of course, it is necessary to try to prevent such a phenomenon. But no one is immune from randomness – so it's important to know exactly what to do if the sprain has already happened.

Neck

Neck sprain requires physical rest for the affected area – Therefore, you definitely need to forget about sports for a while. And not only about sports – give yourself complete rest temporarily.
Apply a cold compress to your neck when stretching, but don't overdo it – because the cervical lymph nodes are sensitive to cold.

If the pain is severe, you can take painkillers. This should be done no more than two days. In addition, painkillers or warming patches are also suitable.

Read also: Dr. Shishonin's unique neck gymnastics

Leg

First of all, the injured limb must be deprived of the ability to move involuntarily – with the help of a superimposed splint or tight bandaging. In addition, the limb must be placed on a hill so that bruises or hematomas do not form on the leg from poor blood outflow. But what you can’t do for the first 3 days – so it's to warm the limb. If the pain is severe even at rest – then you need to see a doctor. It may be a severe, dangerous strain or tear.

Caviar

Injury to the calf area is common among runners. With such an injury, you should immediately apply something very cold to the damaged area – for 20 minutes. In order not to "earn" frostbite of tissues, wrap the leg with a towel or any other cloth. If the sprain is mild, then after 5 days you can proceed to physical rehabilitation. But with a more severe degree of damage, you will need the help of a doctor.

Feet

To immobilize the foot, it is better to put a tight bandage of elastic bandage on it. You should simultaneously apply cold to the injury site. For a few days, provide yourself with complete rest, it is better not to stand on an injured foot.

Thighs

Thigh muscle injury – one of the most common in sports. If such an injury occurs, then you need to immobilize the leg by applying a compression bandage. In addition, it is recommended to use a walking crutch so as not to strain the injured muscles. In a sitting position, place your legs on a raised platform – this is necessary to prevent swelling.

Back

Injury to the back muscles – a rare phenomenon, because this muscle group is quite large. However, if you have a sedentary job, and you didn’t warm up well before training, – then damage to the fibers is possible. For treatment, you need to immobilize the body by applying a tight bandage. It is also recommended to use special anti-inflammatory sprays or gels. When the pain subsides, a gentle massage is recommended to tone the muscles.

Read also: Back injuries can be avoided – learn how to lift weights properly

Arm strain

This is one of the most common injuries in sports and bodybuilding. If the arm is sprained, then the limb must be immediately immobilized with a bandage-kerchief. It is also recommended to apply ice to relieve swelling and reduce pain. If the damage is mild, then after 2-3 days the pain will pass. But if the condition only worsens – you need to see a doctor.

And yet, muscle strain is a mild form of injury. Therefore, if observed  the degree of injury, after 48 hours it is possible to resume training. In other cases, the timing of the return to sports loads is prescribed by the doctor. This is usually a week after healing, unless the symptoms of a muscle strain have been confused with signs of a more serious injury.

Read also: Full body stretch – and no pain from muscle strain